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Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative launches in 2019

Peoples Company and Stine Seed partner to offer the program.

Oct 04, 2018

Peoples Company and Stine Seed have partnered to offer land owners a paid-in-full, managed cover crops program.

The program, called the Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative, will be available to land owners in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Missouri, for a three-year term. To receive cover crops paid-in-full by the program – a value of up to $30/acre – land owners must agree to have their land professionally managed by Peoples Company during the three-year term and commit to planting Stine Seed.

“Peoples Company is committed to helping land owners effectively manage their property to maximize productivity, but also to reduce environmental impact,” said Peoples Company President Steve Bruere. “I’ve always believed that since a significant amount of land is rented, an effective strategy to reduce environmental impact and maximize yields should be targeted at land owners. Our program will show land owners it’s possible to reduce environmental impact while increasing productivity.”

“At Stine, we understand that nothing is more important than caring for the land,” said Myron Stine, President of Stine Seed. “Through the years, we have implemented a number of processes on our own farm to aid in soil conservation, with high density corn being one of the most innovative. And we feel that cover crops are another component of a strong soil conservation program. That’s why we are pleased to partner with People’s Company on this project.”

“Cover crops are a critical practice to improving soil health and water quality,” according to Sean McMahon, Executive Director of the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance. “We’ve made tremendous progress scaling up cover crops through public sector programs in the last decade, but more needs to be done through the private sector. IAWA is tremendously excited to partner with Peoples Company and Stine Seed to help landowners and farmers reap the many benefits of cover crops.”

Program implementation will begin in the 2019 growing season. The program is available for new land management accounts with Peoples Company, up to a maximum of 10,000 acres. The cost of cover crop application will be covered up to $30/acre, with a minimum of 120 acres and a maximum of 500 acres planted per client. Cover crop seed and application decisions will be made by land management professionals.